Free Falling
by RinSabreDelta
Summary: When Clark moves to the big city, his neighbor is quick to take him under her wing. And in return, it doesn't take Mack long to slide under his cape.
1. Chapter 1

_Thud. Bang._

This was the third time Mack had heard those sounds from the hall, followed closely by the sound of muffled curses. She held back a laugh, setting her book aside and getting up, deciding maybe she'd just check on her new neighbor. Knowing her landlord, it was likely another wacky retiree, like the cat lady or the dirty old man before her. Taking a moment to make sure she looked okay, Mack stepped out just as a young man did as well. He was cute in a nerdy way, with dark hair and think framed glasses covering his blue eyes. He reminded her of those romantic comedy movies, where the girl takes off her glasses and slaps on some make up and she looks magically gorgeous. He gave her a sheepish smile.

"Oh, hey. Are you...the one moving in?" He nodded, and she stuck out a hand, her smile becoming just a bit more genuine. "Nice to meet you. I'm Mack Jennings."

"Clark Kent." He took her hand gently, giving a single shake before dropping it. "Nice to meet you as well."

"I actually came out to see if you needed help." He seemed surprised at her offer. "At least, it sounded like you might need it." He gave a chuckle and rubbed the back of his neck, looking all the world like an awkward teenager.

"That obvious, huh? I would appreciate it, if you really don't mind." She nodded, following him back towards the elevator.

"So, new to the city?" She glanced at him as they rode down to the lobby, noting his own glance in her direction.

"You some sort of mind reader?" There was humor in his tone, but she could swear there was something else there, almost like fear. She gave a smile and shook her head.

"I wish. You know how much better my life would be?" They shared a chuckle as the doors opened, and she followed him out to a pickup truck out front. An older couple appeared to be unloading some boxes, and she could see another, larger box truck behind them that she assumed held his furniture. The older woman saw them approach first, and judging by the spark in her eye, Mack knew this was his mom.

"Here dear, take these." The woman pushed a bow into Clark's arms. "Your father will follow you up while we pull more out." He nodded and the men left, leaving Mack with Clark's mom. "Now, you dear, step over here." They moved to the end of the tailgate, with Mack climbing in to push more to the edge. "Sorry we can't make proper introductions, dear. I'm Martha." She gave a motherly smile that Mack returned easily as the last of the boxes were moved forward.

"Mackenzie. It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Kent." Mack hopped out of the truck, grabbing a box of what sounded like dishes.

"And you, Mackenzie." There was a pause as they started for the door. "Have you lived here long?"

"The city? My whole life." Mack nudged the button to the elevator, adjusting the box in her arms. "This place? Roughly two years." Martha nodded, seeming to think that over for a bit.

"I have a favor to ask, if you don't mind." Mack looked to the older woman as the doors opened, letting her enter first before stepping in and hitting the correct floor. "Could you keep an eye on Clark? Just make sure he stays out of trouble?"

"Out of trouble?" Giving a surprised look to the older woman, she waited for her to continue.

"Yes. We're from a tiny farm town and this is his first time being out in the world like this. I just want to make sure he'll be okay." Martha looked up at the younger woman, her gaze and tone both pleading. Without thinking, Mack nodded, even as the next question left her lips.

"Why me?"

"You seem like a good girl. Only known my boy five minutes and already you're helping him move in." That drew a smirk from Mack. "I'm serious. I can tell a lot about people and I know you're a good girl. Will you do this favor for me?"

"Yeah, sure. Though, I'm sure it won't take him long to get his feet under him." The doors opened and they both stepped out, greeted by the men who were clearly making a return trip. Clark's father moved to open the door for the ladies, quickly leaving with his son once the ladies were in. Martha set her box to one side and Mack followed suit.

"Now, may I ask another, smaller favor?" Mack arched a brow. "Would you mind helping me get things unpacked?" Another motherly smile that Mack couldn't resist, and the women began the unpacking process, focusing on the kitchen while the men bring up the last of the boxes and the furniture. Martha made pleasant small talk with Mack as they moved slowly from room to room until, finally, the apartment looked more homey. Mack looked around, feeling a sense of accomplishment at having helped, and was stopped by Martha as she turned to go. "Join us for dinner. As a thanks for helping today." Mack glanced to Clark, who gave an encouraging if nervous smile, and she nodded. Martha cooked a homemade meal, and Mack couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so full. She left at the same time as his parents, getting both his cell number and their home number, with instructions to call should she need anything. Most surprising was the hug Mack received from Martha before they all parted ways, and as Mack settled for the night, she couldn't help but think over how great her new neighbor was.


	2. Chapter 2

Every day, Mack would see Clark when they both came home from work, and everyday it seemed he'd go out of his way to ask after her day and anything that happened. Though she was hesitant at first, she'd easily fallen into the routine, going so far as to invite him to hers a few nights a week for dinner and chats. He seemed to have adapted to the city easily in spite of his mother's concerns, but there were still things he needed to learn. Any questions he had, he would ask her, and she would do her very best to answer. He was impressed by the idea that you could get take out at all hours of the night especially. So, when he came home one day seeming exhausted and drained, she was quick to notice.

"Hey, Clark, you okay?" He only gave a shrug and Mack frowned, taking his arm gently and leading him to her apartment. He grumbled along the way, the opposite of his usual chipper self, and she pushed him onto the couch before disappearing into the kitchen. A few minutes later, she returned with cocoa just the way he liked it, and an email sent to his mom asking how to cheer him up. She handed one mug to him and sat on the couch as well, waiting until he took a sip to try again. "What's eating you?"

"Work's been...hectic." She arched a brow, nodding slowly. In a city like theirs, it only made sense that a newspaper writer would be crazy busy. There was one big story that had been dominating headlines, however.

"Because of that Superman guy?" His head snapped up and shock registered in his eyes; Mack gave a laugh. "What? I occasionally read the paper." In truth, she read the Daily Planet every day at work, always looking in on her cute neighbor. Looking back on it, she realized that may seem a bit weird, but it's not like he'd know.

"Um, yeah. Because of Superman." He dropped his gaze and sipped his cocoa, raising her suspicions. There was a note of truth to what he was saying, but she couldn't shake the feeling he was hiding something from her. Her laptop pinged from the kitchen, notifying her of an incoming email, and she quietly excused herself to answer it. His mom made the simple suggestion of dinner and Mack considered it briefly before deciding to go with it. Checking her cupboards, she realized she didn't have anything to make; take out was usually her go to. Sending a quick text, she hoped Clark wouldn't mind going out. Another notification confirmed her new plans, and she headed back out with a smile, taking Clark's arm gently again and leading him to the door.

"Here, go get ready to go out. Look...somewhat nice, okay?" While the restaurant she had in mind was fairly nice, this wasn't a date and she didn't want to feel any more awful or awkward than he already did. As he opened his mouth to protest, she cut him off. "Hey, none of that. We're, hopefully, gonna have a good time tonight, okay?" He gave a wooden nod before disappearing into his own apartment, and she hurried off to change from her sweats and tank to something more appropriate. Throwing on a red tunic, fleece lined black leggings and her favorite combat boots, deciding to leave her brown hair down in it's natural waves. Making sure she had her phone, wallet, and keys, she hurried over to Clark's and knocked. He answered just as quickly, in a standard dress shirt-tie-slacks combination and a dubious look.

"Why are you doing this?" The question barely made it out of his mouth before she was shutting his door for him and pulling him along.

"Because you were grumpy and you are never grumpy." She hailed them a cab and gave the driver the address, turning to give Clark a smile. "I'm just trying to make you happy again." He seemed shocked, blinking a couple times down at her before nodding slowly. They arrived at the restaurant without further issue and she was grateful her job let her make all sorts of connections. Clark's eyes widened as they stepped in and he looked around as she approached the hostess. Her friend had managed to get them a nice enough table, and Clark waited until they were seated with menus to speak again.

"Mack, this place looks...exclusive." She gave a chuckle, nodding a bit as she looked through the menu. She basically knew what she wanted, but she knew that occasionally they got something new.

"It is. I have a friend who owed me a few favors, so I called one in. Get whatever you like." She assumed his silence meant he was focusing on the menu, and when the waiter came he ordered something simple. Her order was taken, and they were left alone yet again. Dinner passed with small talk about their days and their jobs, and they decided to walk off a bit of their food stupor before catching a cab home. Clark seemed much happier, cracking the occasional joke. The light mood was ruined when a man stepped out of an alley and leveled a gun, ordering her to turn over her valuables. Mack turned, expecting to have to keep Clark calm, only to find he was gone. She didn't have time to be angry that he'd abandoned her before she heard the gun cock. Before she could even comply, a blue or blue and red crossed her vision, and a tall man stood between her and the mugger. One look at the cape fluttering in the breeze and she knew exactly what was happening: Superman himself was coming to her rescue. The mugger must not have been keeping up on the news, as he kept the gun leveled at Superman's chest. Mack jumped as the man fired three rounds, the sound causing her ears to ring. Superman only moved forward, grabbed the gun and tossed it away, leaving the thug shaking in his boots. With a yelp, the man ran off, leaving her alone with the superhero.

"Are you alright?" His voice was deep though familiar, and she found it was surprisingly soothing.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay. Um, thanks." She gave a smile and he returned with one of his own. A niggling idea in her head told her that she recognized him, knew who he was, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"I should go. Be safe out there, miss." With that, he launched into the sky and she stood to watch for a bit before turning back for home. One block away, she ran into Clark, who nearly collided with her breathless and gave her a shocked look.

"You're okay! Oh, I was so worried." She arched a brow, crossing her arms.

"You left me with a mugger, Clark." He had enough sense to look ashamed at least, and she softened a bit.

"I went to get help, but I couldn't find anyone. I am so sorry I left you." There was something off about his apology, but the night had been too exciting and she was too tired to care. Instead, she looped her arm through his with a sigh and started back towards a main road to hail a cab.

"Thanks for trying. Besides, Superman saved me, so I guess no harm done." She gave him a small smile which he returned, and they were quiet as they made their way home. They parted ways with murmured goodnights, and Mack went to bed wondering if she'd be lucky, or unlucky, enough to see the hero again.


	3. Chapter 3

The next few days were mostly uneventful, though Clark seemed to be much more relaxed. Although Mack wasn't eager to get into trouble, she did want to meet Superman again, if only to thank him properly. It took a few days to convince herself before she made her way to the roof on a slow Sunday evening, a tupperware container full of cookies from a large batch she'd made while bored. She hadn't had much cause to visit the roof, since there wouldn't be any stars anyway, but she found it was actually a nice open area. She made a mental note to ask her landlord about putting some sort of garden up here as she set the cookies on the ledge and looked out over the city.

"Uh...Superman?" She felt like an idiot just calling his name out into the twilight, but it was the only way she could think to reach him without getting mugged again. "If you're not too busy, I'd like to ask you to stop by." With that, she settled in to wait, leaning against the waist high ledge at the edge of the roof and watching as the city glowed with endless lights. It was actually somewhat pretty from up here, and she smiled at the idea of getting some pictures for her apartment.

"Excuse me, miss?" The voice behind her gave her a start, and she was glad she didn't knock the cookies over the edge. Turning, she watched as Superman landed behind her, cape billowing behind him in a dramatic fashion before settling with him. "You...wanted to see me?" He seemed wary, so she put on her friendliest smile, not wanting to seem like a threat.

"Yeah. I wanted to give you a proper thanks for saving me the other night." He looked surprised, and she stepped forward carefully, container held out towards him. As she got closer, she noted how much taller than her she was, again bothered by the idea that he was familiar. He took the cookies with a small smile. "They're sugar cookies. I tend to bake when I get bored."

"Thank you. That's very kind of you." He ran a hand through his hair, and it hit her then. He looked an awful lot like Clark. Her head tipped to one side as she studied him closer, matching key features.

"Anytime." He seemed to notice her staring, clearing his throat.

"I should go. I'll be sure to return the container." Without another word he took off, her hair ruffling in the breeze left from his departure. Heading inside, she wondered how Clark would feel if she told him he looked like a hero. Maybe she could convince him to cosplay it at a convention next summer. As she headed back downstairs, she ran into Clark leaving, giving him a smile.

"Hey Clark. Headed out?" He nodded, giving her a sheepish smile.

"I'm, uh, meeting someone." Arching a brow, Mack grinned.

"Really? Well, have fun. I'm sure she's a lovely lady." He blushed brightly, nodding and turning for the elevator. "Oh, and Clark? I made some cookies. I'll leave some on your counter." He turned to give her a nod and a thumbs up before disappearing into the elevator. She smiled, happy he seemed to be doing well, before heading inside and grabbing the cookies to bring him. Mack spent a good rest of the night eating a portion of the cookies she made and binge watching Netflix. Clark texted her when he got home as usual, though she wasn't sure why he insisted on it, thanking her for the cookies. She sent a quick reply, focusing back in on her show. It wasn't until she heard a crash from across the hall that she snapped out of her television-induced stupor, getting up quickly and letting herself into his apartment. She found him sprawled on the floor, his glasses a foot away with him getting up slowly. She chuckled, moving to crouch down and scoop up his glasses.

"Thanks." He looked up, holding a hand out for them, and they both froze. Mack's eyes widened as she took in the now super familiar face, and he seemed to realize at the same time. "Mack…"

"Holy shit…" Coming to her senses, she offered him his glasses, watching as he seemed to pull them on as quickly as possible. She sat back on her heels, her lips pressed together in a tight line as Clark gave her a wary look. They sat in silence for a few moments before he stood and offered her a hand up. Only hesitating a moment, she took his hand, standing and making sure she gave him his space.

"I think we're going to need to talk about this." She nodded slowly, taking a deep breath. The idea that her friend and neighbor was some sort of hero had yet to sink in fully and she was doing her best sort it all out in her head. He gestured to the living room, and they both moved to sit on the couch. Mack stayed quiet, giving him the chance to speak in his own time. "I hope you won't tell anyone about this." She blinked, surprised.

"Why would I? It's not exactly my secret to blurt from the rooftops." Giving a smile in an attempt to relieve the tension, Mack looked up at her friend. He seemed so worried about this whole thing. "Seriously, Clark, you can trust me."

"I know I can, but…" He sighed, running a hand through his hair. Mack frowned, reaching out to take his hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze. "I guess I'm just worried you'll get hurt." She nodded slowly, rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand.

"I can't promise I won't, but that would be true whether you were Superman or not." He was giving her a pained look and she scooted closer to pull him into a hug. "You'll still be my friend, Clark. It just means, maybe, I can help you a bit." He stayed quiet, his face buried in her shoulder. Mack felt helpless, just wanting to get him to smile again, and said the first thing she could think of. "Wait a minute...that means you got double cookies." She pulled back to give him a playful glare. "You could have just asked for more." That seemed to work, drawing a short chuckle from him.

"I'll remember that next time." He finally pulled away, taking a deep breath. "Maybe you knowing will be a good thing." She nodded, tucking her legs under her. After a little while, Clark seemed to relax a bit, and together they decided take out and a movie were in order. Mack was glad she had this time with her friend, but she worried about what this may mean in the future.


	4. Chapter 4

Despite the fact that she had tried to take his secret in stride, Clark never once brought it up again. Instead, as the days progressed, she heard more and more about the nice girl he seemed to have met at his work. Her name was Lois Lane, and Mack tried to be happy for her friend in finding someone. She chalked it up to being a bit lonely herself, and that was all the convincing she needed to download that stupid dating app that everyone and their pet cat used. After several failed dates, and even more weird messages, she decided to try the old fashion way.

"Hey, you going out?" Mack looked up to see Clark just getting in, his work bag slung over his shoulder. He looked her over, taking in her little black dress, heels, and carefully done hair and make-up. In truth, she was just heading to a local nightclub to drink and dance with some girlfriends.

"Yeah, there's a club a friend said she would get me into tonight." His brow furrowed and she waved a hand. "Don't worry, I'll be fine." The worried look didn't leave his eyes even as she gave a wave and headed to the elevator, texting her friends to let them know she's on her way. It was a short cab ride to the club, and the bouncer seemed more than happy to let her in once her ID checked out. She was quickly swept into the action, grabbing a drink and dancing with her friends for a good few hours before stumbling out to catch another cab. She tapped away on her phone, flirting with the bouncer as she waited. When one was taking too long, she gave him a wave and started for the brighter part of the city. The cool air was doing great work at sobering her slowly, and she made sure to keep an eye on the shadows. A breeze along the back of her neck had her turning, but it didn't look as though anyone were there. Peering into the dark, she tried to make out a shape.

"Little lost?" She yelped and spun to see a strange man, wearing a fairly nice leather jacket and a friendly smile. She wasn't stupid enough to smile back, giving him a wary look. He stepped closer before pulling a gun from his pocket, leveling it at her. Despite her fear, she couldn't help but feel annoyed at the fact she was being mugged again. "Let's have the purse and the jewelry. Phone too." Slowly, she slid her small bag off her shoulder, tossing it at his feet, and followed suit with her phone. She hesitated with her necklace, it being one of her favorites, but the sight of the gun being cocked was enough to get her to undo it and toss it too. He scooped it all up, looking it over with that same smile. "Thank you very much." Without warning, a shot rang out, and it took her far too long to realize he'd hit her in the stomach. He hurried away as she sat on the ground, leaning back and pressing a hand to her side. Seeing that no one was coming at the sound of the shot, she gave a shallow huff and looked towards the sky.

"Hey, Supes, I could really use your help down here!" There was no immediate answer and she decided laying down was her best option. The ground was pretty cold, and it felt kinda nice against her skin. Feeling sleepy, her eyes began to close just as a tall shadow moved over her. Arms scooped her up, sending pain through her torso that she whimpered at.

"Hang on, Mack." The familiar voice was soothing, and she found her eyes drifting shut as a breeze surrounded her. It seemed like she woke up far too soon, with a beeping sound nearby and some sort of heavy clamp on her hand. She opened her eyes to slits, side-eyeing the machine making the noise as the events of the night. Taking stock, she noted a headache, a dull throb in her side, and a dry mouth. Glancing around, Mack found the heavy clamp on her hand was another hand; none other than Clark himself. He had his head resting on the bed, his glasses eskew, and was sleeping. Even in sleep, he looked stressed, his shoulders tense. Gently, she began to wriggle her hand in his, hoping to get his attention.

"Clark." Her voice was rough and she figured it was because of the partying the night before. He shifted, looking towards the door in confusion before turning to her. Every ounce of tiredness in his eyes left as he noted she was awake, and he sat up quickly. His hand released hers and both settled on her cheeks as his glasses slipped off, and he stared at her hard.

"Mack!" He pressed close in what she assumed was supposed to be a hug and she gave his arm a pat. "Thank god you're alright." He pulled back to look at her, and she held up his glasses with a knowing, if tired, smile.

"Of course I'm alright." He took them but didn't immediately put them back on, staring at her with a deep intensity. "Not gonna let some idiot mugger take me down that easy."

"You could have died. Why were you by yourself?" The worry didn't leave his eyes even if his gaze did get less intense.

"I was gonna go find a cab home. Seriously, Clark, I'm fine. Thanks, by the way." He seemed surprised and she rolled her eyes. "What? Like I wouldn't thank you for answering my call. Technically, you didn't have to."

"I think that would just make me a terrible friend and hero." He seemed to finally be relaxing, settling back into his chair and twirling his glasses. "You're sure you're okay?"

"I mean, I'm sore and I'd kill for some food and water, but other than that, yes." He slipped his glasses back on and hit a button, likely to call for a nurse. "Are you okay?"

"What?" He seemed surprised by her question before nodding quickly. "I'm fine."

"Clark, it doesn't take a genius to figure out you were probably freaking out all night." He blushed lightly and she gave a small smile. "You can head home and rest. I'll be fine here, I'm sure they'll just hold me until I lose my mind."

"You sure? I don't mind staying-"

"I'm sure. Besides, I'm sure you'll need to get back to work too." She thought for a bit. "Weren't you trying to woo some chick?"

"Alright, that's enough from you." His blush had increased and she smirked knowingly. He gathered his jacket and his bag from near the door as the nurse arrived, and as the nurse began to ask questions, Clark slipped out, leaving Mack to lay back in her hospital bed and count down the minutes until she could get home.


	5. Chapter 5

When Mack was finally released, it was the biggest sigh of relief she thought she had ever let out. Of course, it tugged a bit on her stitches and made her wince, but overall she was just glad to leave the too-white surroundings of her hospital room. Clark had insisted on picking her up despite her protests and as they wheeled her out the front doors, he was there to offer to help her up.

"Seriously, I'm okay." She smirked at his worried look, taking his hand and letting him help her up. He guided her to the car, and she made a mental note to try and deal with as much of his smothering as she could. It was clearly helping him feel better to help her, and she wasn't quite ready to take that from him. He chattered non-stop on the way home about the doctor's instructions and how she could probably work from home. Mack let him ramble, knowing there was no way she could stop him, but she found herself shocked when his mother answered Mack's apartment door, ushering the younger folks in and taking charge.

"Clark, go get Mackenzie settled on the couch." He did as asked, though Mack was sure she could have made it on her own.

"You called your mom on me?" She whispered in his ear, drawing an embarrassed blush to his face.

"I'm sorry, she was just so worried-"

"Alright, that's enough lovebirds. Mackenzie, you must be hungry." His mom was already fluttering around the small kitchen, pulling together the supplies for a meal. Clark's blush deepened as he moved away, giving his mom a kiss on the cheek and a mumbled excuse about work. Leaving her with his mom, Mack was left to wonder about far too many things at once. "I hope you don't mind, but you're going to need to eat light at first."

"That's okay." Mack turned to face the woman as much as she could, giving a smile. "Thanks, Mrs. Kent, but you really don't need to do all this."

"Oh, nonsense. You're practically family." Mrs. Kent gave Mack a warm smile, leaving her with a warm fuzzy feeling inside. It wasn't hard to see where Clark got all that niceness from; Mack wondered if it was a small town thing. Not wanting to be rude, Mack got up carefully and made her way into the kitchen, looking around for something to do. "Oh no, you go right back out there and rest. I'm sure you can find something to watch to pass the time."

"I don't wanna be rude, ma'am." Mrs. Kent rounded on her with a wooden spoon in hand, and Mack put her hands up playfully with a grin.

"You go rest, or I'll make ya." With a chuckle, Mack turned back for the living room. "And you can just call me Momma, if you want. Ma'am sounds so formal." Mack's heart melted just a bit as she sat back down, flicking on Hulu and scrolling endlessly. Dinner was finally ready, and Mrs. Kent insisted on sitting with her on the couch to eat. Some time later, Clark came back, and the two of them left for the night back to his place. Mack chose to get changed and head right to bed, everything that had happened in the last few days finally taking it's toll. She was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, exhaustion easily taking over.

The next few days, Mrs. Kent stuck around and made sure Mack was taking good care of herself and her wound. Clark also tried to visit as often as he could, though Mack was sure he actually would've liked to be out saving people or on dates with the Lois woman from his work. When him and his mother sat down with her for dinner one day, she mentioned just that.

"How's Lois?" Clark seemed to choke just a bit on his food, while Martha gave Mack a confused look.

"Who's Lois?" Mack rounded wide eyes on the older woman, not realizing Clark hadn't told his mom. She hesitated to go into detail, but the look Martha was giving her broke her resolve.

"She's a woman Clark's been seeing."

"Mack!" She ignored him, giving his mom a sheepish look as Martha gave them both confused looks. Clark groaned behind her, and Mack couldn't help a blush spreading across her cheeks. Clearing her throat, she set her plate down and stood carefully.

"You know, I'm actually really tired. Night guys." Ignoring the dull throb in her side leftover from the shot, she made her way quickly to her room, leaving Clark to face his mom and already figuring out how she was going to apologize to him in the next few days. His mom was supposed to leave tomorrow, since Mack was mostly alright, leaving her to think maybe she'd think of something extra special to make it up to him. She could hear the two of them chatting as they left, each calling a goodnight before her front door shut and she was left to retire.

Clark avoided Mack for the next two days, and while she was a bit hurt, it made her plans easier. Martha had stopped by to say goodbye to Mack, promising to call her and check in every few days. As soon as Mack heard Clark leave for work, she began her planning, making calls in between her duties for her job. Her boss had been more than happy to have her work from home; being an administrative assistant could really be done from anywhere. It was nearly dinnertime by the time she was able to finish everything, and she couldn't help but feel proud of what she had done. She heard Clark come home and could practically count the minutes it took for her first apology gift to arrive. There was a muffled conversation that she tuned out, knowing already what it was, and soon she heard Clark leaving yet again. Satisfied that things were going to go well for him tonight, she settled in for her usual binge watching and dinner. A knock at her door several hours later had her heaving to her feet and shuffling to the door. Clark hugged her gently as soon as it was open, and she gave a chuckle.

"Thanks Mack. That was all perfect." He pulled back to grin at her and she smiled right back. It was good to see him happy.

"Sorry for outing you to your mom. I just figured you would have told her about this Lois chick." He shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Well, I hope the two of you had fun. I'm gonna head to bed."

"Thanks again, Mack. I'll see you tomorrow." He let himself out and she gave herself a mental pat on the back before heading to bed, glad to have things back on track.


	6. Chapter 6

It was another few days of Mack only seeing Clark in passing in the hallway. She always gave a friendly smile, happy to get one in return, but it seemed he was too busy with his double life to worry about hanging out. There was a pang in her chest at the thought that he wouldn't spend as much time with her, but she pushed it away, knowing that him saving people was far more important. His mother, whom Mack had just taken to calling Mama Kent, checked in with her frequently enough. Mack was careful not to let on that Clark had been essentially ignoring her, however; she wasn't about to get the poor guy in trouble with his mom over something less than important. When the knock sounded at her door, she moved to her feet quickly, unsure of who would be paying her a visit.

"Clark." Her eyebrows went up in surprise as she took in her friend, noting the depressed look on his face. She frowned, stepping to one side and nodding for him to come in, waiting until he was settled on the couch to get him some tea. Once the warm mug was in his hand, she spoke again. "What happened?"

"It's Lois, she…" His voice seemed to catch, and immediately Mack thought the worst. Scooting closer to him on the couch, she draped an arm around his shoulders. He took a deep breath, sipping the tea before speaking again. "She's not...happy." Mack's brow furrowed even as relief coursed through her.

"Not happy?" He nodded, staring at the mug engulfed in his hands. Mack thought for a bit. "Did she give any specifics?"

"She doesn't like that I'm Superman." His voice is quiet, and Mack can't help a flash of anger. "She says it's too dangerous...that I should stop."

"Too dangerous? Seriously?" Some of her anger must have leaked into her voice, because he looked up in surprise. "Aren't you, like, indestructible? I'm pretty sure I've seen you shot, stabbed, and hit on the news. Not to mention on fire, a few times." He nodded slowly, and Mack moved to make sure he was looking in her eyes. "Clark, do you want to keep being Superman?" He seemed to think the answer over carefully, for which she was grateful.

"I know, no matter what, I can't stop helping people." There was a conviction in his voice, and his gaze seemed to take on a fire. It was clear that his determination would never waver; still, Mack couldn't help but be miffed at Lois for even suggesting it to him.

"Then don't." He nodded slowly and she followed his example. "Lois may have to learn to accept what you do if she wants to stay a part of your life."

"But I can't risk losing her, Mack. She's the first person to really accept who I am." It felt like a blow, and Mack leaned back just a bit. Dropping her gaze, she began to clean up from her dinner, planning on escaping to the kitchen.

"Not the first, Clark." She left before he could stop her, and Mack knew he would be quick to apologize when he first got the chance. Still, it hurt; a part of Mack was left to wonder if even the lovely Kents had been unaware of their son's abilities. Clark's arm reached around her to set his mug in the sink, catching her off-guard even as he pulled her into a hug.

"You've been an amazing friend since I got here, Mack, and I should have realized that. I'm sorry I didn't." Giving his arm a pat, she avoided turning to look at him, already knowing the "please forgive me" puppy look he would be sporting. "Let me make it up to you."

"No, it's fine. You're forgiven." She turned just long enough to give him a smile and catch the disbelieving look on his face. The dishes were done faster than she anticipated, making her turn to face him as she dried her hands.

"Nope, gonna make it up to you." He gave her one last hug before starting for the door, clearly already set on whatever plans he had. Mack gave a chuckle as he left with a hurried goodbye, going back to her couch to finish her show. Knowing Clark, the next few days would be spent in anticipation of whatever he could pull from his magic hat. Until then, she was simply glad to know that when it came to his night job, he wouldn't back down. Metropolis needed a hero like Superman, and if one woman could take him down, it would spell disaster for the rest of them.


	7. Chapter 7

It only took Clark two days to text Mack about his plan, and she shook her head as he instructed she wear something nice and meet him on the roof. Realizing her usual little black dress had been thrown out when she had been shot, she settled on a knee-length blue sundress she had, making a mental note to go clothes shopping for a new date night dress. Not that this was a date, of course; she simply wanted to comply with what Clark asked. Taking the time to touch up her make up, she decided to leave her hair down before heading up to the roof. The sight that greeted her took her breath away: twinkle lights decorated the edges of the roof, with a table set for two complete with white tablecloth and candle. If this is what he did for his friends, she could only imagine the sort of treatment Lois got to look forward to. Ignoring the sour feeling in her stomach at the other woman, Mack moved towards the table, less than surprised to feel a breeze behind her.

"This is all really pretty, Clark." She turned to see him in a suit, glasses left behind in his apartment. He looked awfully dashing, and Mack could feel a light blush rising at the thought. He moved to pull out her chair, and she couldn't help but laugh even as she took the offered seat.

"What?" He seemed genuinely confused, only inspiring more laughter from Mack.

"I just-" She took a breath to gather herself. "I don't think I've ever actually seen someone do that, outside of a movie anyway." It was his turn to blush as he pushed what looked like a metal cart closer to the table, a covered dish taking up space in the middle. On a lower shelf of the cart appeared to be a bottle of wine and a couple of glasses.

"Seriously? Man, what kind of guys have you been seeing lately, Mack?" He set to work pouring wine and serving the food, which looked to be something homemade and reminiscent of his family. The smell alone made her mouth water, and she briefly wondered if she could snag the recipe from him or his mom.

"Um, none." Her tone was joking, but she was serious; her love life was far from successful, and she found that she didn't want to settle with just some loser who wanted nothing more than a consistent booty call. Clark's eyebrows rose in surprise as he took his seat across from her.

"Oh. I'm really sorry to hear that." She waved off his concerns, taking her first few bites of the food. It was heavenly, as she had learned most of Mama Kent's food was, and she was quick to take a couple more. Clark chuckled before following her lead, and they ate in comfortable silence for awhile. It left Mack plenty of time to think, though a decent amount of her thoughts were dedicated to convincing Mama Kent to publish a cookbook. When the food was almost gone, she chose to slow down, looking up at her friend.

"You really didn't have to go through all this trouble, Clark." He gave her a sheepish smile, and she wondered how anyone with his abilities and looks could still be sheepish about anything. Finishing her glass of wine, she was a bit surprised when he got up from the table and moved behind the air conditioning unit on the building. She waited patiently, pouring herself another glass of wine as she considered that he may have had to run off for hero business. He returned shortly, however, another covered dish in his hands that he set right in the middle of the table. Her curiosity didn't last long, as he removed the cover to show a rather large lava cake with two big scoops of vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup. Mack's eyes widened at the dessert, a smile growing on her face as he produced two spoons.

"I figured we could share." His grin matched her own as she took a spoon and started on the dessert, unable to hold back a groan of happiness at the flavor. Clearly, he understood her love for chocolate; she often joked it was her only truly feminine trait.

"You are honestly the best, Clark." His cheeks flushed again as he mumbled his thanks around a bite of lava cake. As they enjoyed the cake, Mack made it a point to make small talk, asking about work at the Planet and any current Superman things he was comfortable talking about. When it came to his hero identity, she could swear she saw a weight lift off of him as he shared. She supposed having a secret like that was hard on someone, especially someone as open and honest as him. Making a mental note to ask him more often, she listened as he told her all about how he had been hearing more and more about the vigilante across the bay, The Bat. The cake and ice cream didn't last too long between the two of them, and soon he was offering her his hand with an excited look on his face.

"I wanna show you something, if that's okay." Slowly, with a fair amount of caution, she gave him her hand, nervous excitement building in her stomach as they approached the edge of the roof. "You trust me, right?" It was like a scene straight out of one of her favorite romances, and of course she nodded. He tossed his jacket aside, rolling up his sleeves, and she took a moment to appreciate how well his shirt fit over his form. Mack figured if she was going to be thinking these things about her friend anyway, she may as well enjoy them. Slowly, giving her a chance to decline or step away, he slid one arm around her waist, holding her against him securely. "You're gonna wanna hold on pretty tight." Knowing she couldn't hurt him, Mack moved her arms around his neck and held on with all her might, having a fairly good idea of where this was going. He bent his knees before pushing into the air, taking off slower than usual but still fast enough to take her breath away. It wasn't long before they were above Metropolis, and she chanced a look down at the city. It was gorgeous from up here, lights everywhere.

"Wow…" She knew Clark could hear her, even over the roar of wind around them. He flew them around for a short while, showing her a side to Metropolis that not even the best pilot could show her. When they finally landed back on the roof, she was completely blown away. "Clark, that was amazing! God, it felt like I never wanted to come down." He smiled at her words, and she noted that neither of them had let go of the other. There was a beat of silence before she found her best friend pressing a gentle kiss to her lips, both hands around her waist now and holding her close. I was only too easy to fall into the feeling of him wrapped around her, her eyes drifting shut as she returned the kiss. However, it didn't take long for her mind to catch up, and she found herself pulling away rather violently.

"Mack, I...I'm sorry." Clark looked just as bewildered as she did, one arm still reaching for her as they both tried to catch their breath. Shaking her head, Mack gave her most convincing smile, knowing it likely wasn't as good as usual.

"Forget it. It'll be our secret, okay?" Not waiting for his answer, she turned to head inside, running a hand through her hair as soon as the door was closed behind her. All the way back down to her apartment and even once she was in bed, she kept playing the kiss over in her mind, wondering if it had simply been due to the atmosphere. Deciding it didn't matter as long as he had Lois, she did her best to force it from her mind, closing her eyes and willing herself to a deep sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Mack hadn't meant to avoid Clark the last few days. In truth, she had actually been fairly busy at work, dealing with several charity events for her boss, but she couldn't complain. She didn't know how Clark felt about the kiss, but she knew she felt guilty. It wasn't fair to put him in that position when he was going through so much with Lois. Then again, she wasn't completely avoiding him. Mack had answered a few of his text messages, keeping her answers brief and to the point. Whenever he asked to come over and talk, she had mentioned how busy she was and how she really didn't have time. She knew her avoidance must have been getting bad when her phone rang and she checked the caller ID to see his mother's name pop up. Holding back a groan, she answered the phone, holding it between her cheek and shoulder as she continued her work on her laptop.

"Hi Mama Kent."

"Mackenzie Jennings, what is going on over there?" The older woman sounded irate and Mack cringed at the use of her full name. It had been years since she'd heard it in that mom tone, and she immediately closed her laptop to give Martha her full attention.

"What do you mean, ma'am?"

"I mean between my son and you. He mentioned that something had happened the other night, but refused to speak any more on it. Did you have a fight?" Mack chewed her lip, wanting to have someone to confide in but knowing that his parents may not know about his second life.

"It's...a long story. Mostly to do with his...erm, extracurricular activities." There was silence at the other end and Mack wanted to kick herself. Now it sounded almost like Clark was involved in something illegal.

"So, you know. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised." There was a resignation in Martha's voice that worried Mack. "When did he tell you about himself?"

"Um, he didn't. I kinda figured it out." Mack swallowed convulsively. "But, I would never tell anyone! I understand his need for secrecy." There was some sound on the other end and Mack waited less than patiently.

"That makes sense. I'm glad he can trust you. Is that why you've been avoiding each other?" Now it was Mack's turn to be confused, and her silence must have clued Martha in. "Dear, I'm old, not stupid. It's clear the two of you haven't seen each other, if what little Clark told me is any indication. Now, are you avoiding him because of that?"

"No, no. Of course not. Super powers or not, he's still my friend." Mack's answer was quick, and she realized that no matter what she would always be there for him. Whether he chose to date her or Lois or anyone else, she'd support him.

"Then why exactly are the two of you becoming strangers?" There was a note to Martha's tone that led Mack to believe the older woman was sick of asking that question and so Mack decided to come clean.

"He kissed me." There was silence at the other end of the line for a few moments and Mack squeezed her eyes shut. "And I...well, I kissed him back."

"That's wonderful, dear! I just knew the two of you would get together." There was so much genuine joy in Martha's tone that it floored Mack, and she wondered just how long the older woman had been rooting for this.

"No, Mama Kent, it's not that simple. He's still with Lois." More silence, and Mack cursed the fact that the Kents didn't live closer so they could have this conversation in person.

"Oh, well, I suppose that does explain quite a bit. Well, I'm sure the two fo you can work everything out." Mack nodded and hummed her agreement, ears perking up at the sound of a knock at her door. Knowing Clark may have just heard this entire conversation, she was less than surprised when she answered the door to see him there, nervous look on his face as he fidgeted with his hands. Stepping to one side, she nodded him in.

"Hey, I've got to go, Mama Kent. I'll let you know what happens, okay?" Saying their goodbyes, Mack finally hung up, turning to face Clark.

"Mack, I'm really sorry about the other night. I didn't mean to put you in an awkward position." Mack couldn't help but chuckle, gesturing for him to take a seat on the couch.

"Clark, I was more worried about you. I know you're this goody-two-shoes kinda guy and this was…"

"Unexpected." He finished for her, nodding. Mack nodded as well, doing her best to give a smile.

"Let's just chalk it up to the excitement of the night and forget it happened, yeah?" There was a flicker of doubt on his face and she shrugged. "Just to keep things simple."

"Yeah, I guess. If that's what you want." In truth, Mack couldn't help but wish she didn't have to worry about Lois or put Clark in this position.

"I do. I just want things to go back to the way they were." Clark nodded yet again and this time both of them smiled. If things could be that simple, Mack thought, then staying his friend and supporting both parts of his life would be significantly easier. Leaning over, she gave him a tight hug. "Alright, so dinner here tonight. You can catch me up on everything I missed with you." He nodded, and she moved to the kitchen to get dinner started. In spite of her busy work, Mack couldn't help but think about Martha's reaction to their kiss. It had been unexpected and strange, but also filled Mack with a warm feeling of acceptance. It was too bad it wouldn't happen, if only to make the older woman happy. Mack pushed all thoughts of the kiss away as they sat down to dinner, focusing instead on what stories Clark had to share.


	9. Chapter 9

Mack was never a fan of the charity events her employer attended, but it was always insisted on that she attend. For the most part, she helped her boss remember names, important events from the past, and made sure no bad press made it out to the mob outside. So, it was fairly surprising when he gave her the night to herself, provided she stay, and left to do his own meandering. Taking a few moments, she snagged a glass of champagne, happy to have the night essentially off, and made her own way around the ballroom. Noting that a guest of honor was introducing himself up front, Mack turned to give Lex Luthor her full attention. Still, she found herself distracted; it seemed Bruce Wayne was wandering off towards the stairs, a woman in a red dress following on his heels. Glancing around and noting that no one else seemed to be paying the two any attention, she moved to follow, slipping off her heels so she wouldn't be heard. Peeking around the corner at the bottom, she saw Mr. Wayne fiddling with some computers. Hearing heels behind her, she slumped against the wall, just as another woman came downstairs.

"Excuse me, miss. What are you doing down here?" The suspicion in the woman's voice was evident, and Mack did her best to seem shaken.

"Listen, I know I shouldn't be here, but there was this sleezy guy upstairs and I just…" Mack trailed off, giving her most scared and innocent look. Immediately, the woman's face changed to one of pity, and she took Mack's arm.

"If you come back upstairs, I'll be sure to alert one of our security to keep an eye on you. Okay?" Mack nodded and allowed herself to be led back upstairs, noting another woman heading down to where Mr. Wayne was. After getting a moment to put her shoes back on, Mack was escorted back into the festivities, a flute of water pushed into her hands, and left alone. Luthor was just finishing his speech as Mr. Wayne showed back up. He seemed to disappear for a few minutes, and a buzz from her phone distracted her from wondering just what the billionaire was up to. She only took a few steps, looking at the text from her employer excusing her from the party for the night, when she bumped straight into what felt like a wall.

"Oh, jeez, I'm so-" Mack cut off as she looked up to see Clark, all smiles and holding her arm to keep her from falling. "Clark? What are you doing here?"

"Mack! I could ask the same question." She noted the press badge on his chest, and the fact he hadn't released her arm yet. Giving him a smile, she shrugged.

"My boss was invited, and he always insists I come along." She pulled her arm away slowly, ignoring the goosebumps his touch had given her. Smoothing a hand down her dress, she readjusted her grip on her glass as she began to back up. "I should let you get back to work-" Again, she bumped into something solid, and she wanted to curse her luck as she spun to see Bruce Wayne. "Oh god, I'm so sorry, Mr. Wayne."

"That's quite alright." He gave a fairly charming smile, even as Clark stepped between them, partially blocking her view.

"Excuse me, Mr. Wayne? Could I ask a few questions for the Daily Planet?" Clark's voice was all business and instinctively Mack moved to step aside. Sipping her drink, she listened in as Clark and Wayne debated over Gotham's own vigilante, the Batman, only turning fully back towards the men as another joined them.

"Boys!" Lex Luthor clapped his hands together, taking the attention of both men. When Clark glanced her way, she gave a small wave and headed off, deciding that tonight had certainly been more than adventurous enough. Stopping to bid her boss a good night, Mack made her way home. She had only just gotten settled in her pajamas for a bit of YouTube when she heard Clark coming home. Glad to hear he'd made it safely, she easily relaxed, less than surprised to hear her door open.

"Mack? You up?" His voice is soft as he pads into her apartment, and she raises a hand to answer. "Mind if I join you?" Clark is already moving towards the couch, and she shifts to accommodate him.

"Some party, huh?" She glances at him as she flicks to the next video, smirking just a bit.

"Yeah, well… let's just hope I don't have to go to another one anytime soon." He chuckled as he sat back, his arm automatically draping along the back of the couch behind her. It was only too easy for Mack to relax against his side as they watched the videos together.

"I wish I could say the same. I end up at those things way too often." She could feel Clark's gaze on her. "As a personal assistant, it's my job to stay by my boss' side and do whatever he asks. It isn't often a lot, but occasionally I fetch drinks or the car," she looked up to smirk at him, "and, of course, distract those pesky reporters." Clark gave a chuckle.

"Just doing my job. Besides, Wayne was...more than enough." Something in his gaze hardened.

"What's wrong?" When he didn't immediately answer, Mack pressed her lips together, assuming this was another Superman issue. Deciding not to push, she turned back to the television, snuggled closer against his side, and turned to a movie to distract them both. The night pushed on, and even as she began to drift off in the warmth Clark was giving off, she wondered if he would stick around until morning. Her last thought was that she sincerely hoped he did.


	10. Chapter 10

Day by day, the public opinion of Superman seemed to turn towards the worst, and she could see it wearing on Clark in the way he didn't quite lift his feet when he walked down the hall, or how he often turned down her offers to hang out. His mom seemed worried as well, and Mack could do nothing but shrug when asked what was going on with him. A few weeks into the slump, and Clark didn't so much as wave to her in the hallway anymore, and it took everything in Mack to just give the guy his space. Her heart was breaking watching the city he defended turning against him.

"Clark, it's Mack." She stood in front of his door, hand raised as she gave another knock. "Please, Clark, open up." She could hear shuffling on the other side, but the door didn't open. She closed her eyes, pressing her forehead against the door softly. "Please don't shut me out." The last plea was a whisper, and once it was clear it would not be answered, she pushed away, heading for the elevator. It didn't take long to reach a park, and she shoved her hands in her pockets as she wandered. It felt too much like she was losing her best friend and she wasn't sure how to go about getting him back.

"Lovely night." She jumped, turning to see Lex Luthor standing behind her. He was grinning, and something about it made her want to take a step back.

"Uh, yeah. It is." She nodded, turning slowly to walk away.

"What's your name?" His voice stopped her and she looked him over. He had his hands tucked behind his back, and rocked gently on his feet.

"I'm Mackenzie." On instinct, she offered a hand, and he gave it a firm shake.

"Ah, Mackenzie. Lovely." The look in his eye turned critical as it swept over, his grin fading. "You'll do nicely." With all of the emotional turmoil, Mack shouldn't have been surprised that her anger was going to rear its ugly head sooner or later. She'd only taken a step towards him when she felt arms wrap tightly around her and a gag shoved in her mouth. The last thing she saw was Luthor's smirk before something was dropped over her head and she was carried away thrashing.

After an agonizingly long car ride, in which Mack realized they were driving around in circles, she was dragged into an elevator. She complied for just long enough to sense when her guards began to relax. As soon as she heard the doors open, she stomped on the foot of one guard, swinging her head to the left to catch the other guard as he moved to grab her. It was a very short window, and she sprinted from the elevator, reaching up to pull the hood off just in time to find she was on a roof. Skidding to a stop just before the edge, she had to fight off the dizziness as she looked down. It looked like she was on a skyscraper somewhere, though it clearly wasn't Metropolis. She heard clapping behind her and turned slowly.

"Well done." Luthor stood on the helipad, clapping his hands. Two very shamed guards stood a few feet behind him, one rubbing a hand to the bruise quickly forming on his cheekbone. "I suppose I shouldn't have expected less from Superman's little toy." Mack sneered, taking a step towards Luthor as he moved towards you.

"And here I thought you were meant to be a genius." His grin faded just a bit as outrage sparked in his eye at the insult. "I'm not his girlfriend, asshole. Don't even know the guy that well." Luthor rushed towards her, and she braced herself for a hit.

"Well, that's just not true, is it? We both know how close you are with the big alien, now don't we?" There was a deeply threatening tone to his voice now, but Mack stood her ground.

"You've got the wrong girl." She took another step towards him, smirking now.

"I guess we'll find out." She huffed, expecting he would just hold her hostage until Clark showed up. What she wasn't ready for was for Luthor to shove against her chest, sending her toppling over the edge of the building. Wind rushed around her and it took her a moment to catch her breath as she seemed to spin around at an alarming rate. Twisting, she managed to straighten herself out, regretting it instantly as she watched the pavement rush towards her. With a deep breath, she braced, ready to absorb as much of the impact as she could. Hands wrapped around her waist, and her descent was slowed dramatically until she felt her feet settle on the ground. Spinning quickly, she saw Clark in his full super getup, giving her a small smile.

"No, no, Cl-Superman, you gotta go." She pushed on his chest a bit, looking up towards the top of the building as rain began to fall, hoping that Luthor hadn't figured out what happened. Clark pulled her closer, even as she tried to wriggle away. "You have to run, it's a trap. Lex Luthor, he-"

"I know, Mack." She blinked, turning to look at him carefully.

"Then why are you here?" He hadn't released her yet, even as he gave a small chuckle.

"I wasn't about to let you die." The rain was coming down hard now, and thunder rumbled in the distance. One of his hands came up to her face as she blinked against the water.

"In that case, take me back up there so I can kick his stupid ass." Clark chuckled as he shook his head, already taking off.

"Stay put. I'll be back." He flew to the top of the building, and Mack huffed, turning towards the bay when she felt a rumble under her feet. There was something dramatic happening back in Metropolis, and she was quick to flag down a cab to get back over the bridge. They were just crossing into Metropolis when she saw a streak of red flying towards the old alien ship, and her heart leapt in her throat. She arrived just in time to see the Bat standing over Clark, a glowing spear in hand and poised over his heart.

"He has...Martha…" Her heart leapt in her throat at the idea that Mama Kent was in trouble, and she almost missed the Bat screaming like a maniac about who Martha was. She strode towards him quickly, stooping only a moment to scoop up a rock.

"It's his mother's name!" Mack screamed at the Bat, pitching the rock at him. It bounced off as he turned to her, a look of shock in his eyes as she kept moving towards him.

"No, Mack…" Clark's voice was weak, and it fueled her anger. The Bat lowered the weapon, turning to face her fully as she marched up and snatched the spear from his hands, chucking it to one side before kneeling next to Clark.

"Hey, what's wrong? What did he do to you?" Already, he was sitting up, breathing a bit hard.

"Luthor took Martha." There was a raw fear in his eyes she hadn't seen before and it shook her to her core. He turned to the Bat. "He said I had to kill you or he would kill her." Mack pressed her lips together as she helped Clark to his feet, noting how his eyes darted towards the spear warily. She spun to face the Bat, noting he still seemed a bit shocked.

"You're supposed to be a hero, right?" He nodded slowly, and she gave her own nod. "Good. You save Martha. Clark and I will handle Luthor."

"Mack, no." Clark's voice was stronger now, authoritative. "I can handle Luthor." With nods, the men left, and Mack scooped up the spear. Frowning, she twirled it around, observing the details. It was clearly dangerous to Clark, but she had this insane instinct to keep it. Looking towards where the two had run off, she could only hope they would be able to stop whatever Luthor's nefarious plans were. Her hopes began to dwindle a bit as the activity near the alien ship increased, and she swallowed, gripping the spear tighter.


End file.
